Comb cleaner



Feb. 12, 1963 H. EVANS COMB CLEANER Filed Jan. 13; 1961 IN V EN TOR.

HAYDE N EVANS FIG! I II United States 3,077,19 COMB CLEANER Hayden Evans, 127 Robinson Place, Shrewsbury, NJ. Filed Jan. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 82,586 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-41?) This invention relates generally to hair combs, and more specifically to improvements in comb cleaning devices for use in combination with combs.

The concept of a cleaner for a comb is not new, and several proposals have been made in an attempt to find a solution to the problem of keeping combs clean during use. Known devices however have not proved satisfactory, for reasons of poor design or lack of efficiency in operation. I propose to provide a cleaning means having novel and improved structure which enables simple and efiicient operation and which has a second important function of removing lint, dandruff or other foreign elements from the hair during combing.

It is a primary objective of the invention to provide a dual purpose comb cleaning device which is efficient and effective in operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above class which is so constructed that it may be manufactured by high production techniques enabling retail at reasonable cost.

I have achieved the above objectives and improvements by providing an elongated sleeve which is slideably supported and retained on the comb by grooves formed in the end tangs of the comb. The spaced sides of the sleeve are adapted to slope inwardly towards the tangs of the comb and terminate with projecting bristles which meet each other between the tangs of the comb. The sleeve is adapted to clip into engagement against the sides of the comb handle or base and the bristles may be actuated forwardly over the length of the tangs to ter1ni nate therebeyond.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the comb cleaner mounted on a comb in the retracted position.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional end elevation taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the cleaner in broken lines being advanced along the length of the tangs for cleaning.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view shown partly in cross section of one means of slideably retaining the cleaner on the comb.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional end elevation taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of one end of the comb showing an alternative method of retaining the cleaner in engagement with the comb.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional plan view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 7 represents the base or handle of a comb having spaced tangs 8 depending from one edge and terminating at each 3,6?7J99 Patented Feb. 12, 1963 ice end with a tang guard 9. The base 7 is of generally rectangular cross section and is recessed along its length on each side at 10 terminating at 11 inwardly of the tang guards 9. The lower edge of the base is chamfered on each side at 12 towards the roots of the tangs 9 and terminates with a central apex 13 as is conventional in the manufacture of hair combs.

The cleaner comprises an elongated sleeve having spaced sides 14 and connecting ends 15. The sides are bent inwardly centrally of their width so as to conform with the shape of the recessed portion 10 and the chamfered edge of the comb base. The lower edges 16 of the sleeve are bifurcated along their length and adapted to crimpingly receive a continuous line of small bristles 18 which project outwardly from the edge and are adapted to meet with each other through the spaced tangs so as to embrace both sides and edges of all the tangs.

In one embodiment of the invention indicated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the tang guards 9 are provded with an inwardly directed groove 19 adapted to terminate at 29 inwardly spaced from the pointed end 21 of the guard. A lug 22 projects from the ends 15 and is adapted to slideably engage Within the groove 19 thus restricting the movement of the cleaner within the bounds of the groove 19.

Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this design, opposed parallel grooves 23 are formed along opposite sides of the guards 9. The grooves terminate short of the lower ends of the guards to retain the cleaner on the comb. The sides 24 of the sleeve terminate with inwardly projecting arms 25 adapted to engage in the grooves 23.

In both the above means of slidingly retaining the cleaner, a common means of releasably locking the same in the raised position is shown in FIG. 2. A small raised dimple 26 is formed centrally of the recessed portion 10 and is adapted to register and engage in a stamped depression 27 formed on the inner side of the sleeve 14. An external depression 28 is formed on the opposite side to provide means enabling the thumb to dislodge the sleeve for operation.

When in the retracted position, the brush portion of the cleaner embraces the strands of hair being combed and frees them of lint and other foreign matter or unwanted elements. The sleeve may be moved when desired to clean the tangs as indicated in FIG. 2, and should extend so that the brush portion extends beyond the points or ends of the comb tangs, enabling ready cleaning of the brush with the fingers. The cleaner may be removed from the comb by either flexing the tang guards or slightly splaying the sides of the sleeve to relieve the groove engaging arms 25.

Having described the invention in a preferred form, it will be appreciated that some modifications may be made to the precise configuration, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

In combination with a hair comb having spaced tangs and terminating tang guards depending from a handle, a comb cleaner comprising an elongated sleeve having spaced sides selectively engageable within a recess formed along a lower portion of each side of the handle, each of said sleeve sides having an inwardly directed lower edge, brisgrooves guiding said comb cleaner for movement relative tles carried by said lower edge of each sleeve side, said to said comb. bristles of bothsleeve sides extending inwardly toward each other and intersecting with each other between said References cued m file of thls patent spaced tangs, each one of said tang guards having a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS groove extending parallel to said tangs, each end of said 2,610,638 Franklin Sept 16 1952 sleeve being adjacent one of said tang guards, and a lug projecting from each end of said sleeve slidably received FOREIGN PATENTS within said groove of said adjacent tang guard, said 211,565 Switzerland Dec. 2, 1940 

